A CEO for All Seasons
On sale
9th October 2025
Price: £16.99
“A CRASH COURSE IN HOW TO BE AN EFFECTIVE CEO.” —Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Think Again and Hidden Potential and host of the podcast Re:Thinking
From leading global management consulting firm McKinsey & Company and the minds behind the New York Times bestseller CEO Excellence comes a compact, insight-packed guide to navigating the distinct phases of leadership that every CEO must pass through on their way to mastery.
In the high-stakes world of corporate leadership, becoming a Fortune 500 CEO is an Everest-like ascent – with only the savviest managing to avoid falling off the mountain. In A CEO for All Seasons you’ll find an essential climbing route that will take you through every stage. Featured in this tip-dense guide is wisdom from some of the world’s most iconic leaders, including Blackstone’s Steve Schwarzman, Chevron’s Mike Wirth, Merck’s Ken Frazier, Nasdaq’s Adena Friedman, ASML’s Peter Wennink, Morgan Stanley’s James Gorman, and Dell Technologies’ Michael Dell.
Unique in applying a number of sophisticated metrics to isolate the world’s top 200 CEOs, reduce them to a representative sample, and then reap their wisdom, the McKinsey team, in A CEO for All Seasons, spotlights the specific stage-based hurdles that CEOs face. From preparing for the role (stepping up) to leading with impact (starting strong) to sustaining momentum (staying ahead) to fortifying a lasting legacy (sending it forward), the book leaves no segment of the journey unmapped. Along the way, it offers proven strategies for maintaining forward progress and, crucially, alerts readers to common blind spots, as revealed by a detailed survey of thousands of executives.
Whether you’re an aspiring leader or a new-to-the-job CEO – or even a board member wanting to better steward your company’s performance – this is the compact, hands-on guide you’ve needed. Its compendium of pressure-tested tips is a must-have game changer for leaders at all levels.
From leading global management consulting firm McKinsey & Company and the minds behind the New York Times bestseller CEO Excellence comes a compact, insight-packed guide to navigating the distinct phases of leadership that every CEO must pass through on their way to mastery.
In the high-stakes world of corporate leadership, becoming a Fortune 500 CEO is an Everest-like ascent – with only the savviest managing to avoid falling off the mountain. In A CEO for All Seasons you’ll find an essential climbing route that will take you through every stage. Featured in this tip-dense guide is wisdom from some of the world’s most iconic leaders, including Blackstone’s Steve Schwarzman, Chevron’s Mike Wirth, Merck’s Ken Frazier, Nasdaq’s Adena Friedman, ASML’s Peter Wennink, Morgan Stanley’s James Gorman, and Dell Technologies’ Michael Dell.
Unique in applying a number of sophisticated metrics to isolate the world’s top 200 CEOs, reduce them to a representative sample, and then reap their wisdom, the McKinsey team, in A CEO for All Seasons, spotlights the specific stage-based hurdles that CEOs face. From preparing for the role (stepping up) to leading with impact (starting strong) to sustaining momentum (staying ahead) to fortifying a lasting legacy (sending it forward), the book leaves no segment of the journey unmapped. Along the way, it offers proven strategies for maintaining forward progress and, crucially, alerts readers to common blind spots, as revealed by a detailed survey of thousands of executives.
Whether you’re an aspiring leader or a new-to-the-job CEO – or even a board member wanting to better steward your company’s performance – this is the compact, hands-on guide you’ve needed. Its compendium of pressure-tested tips is a must-have game changer for leaders at all levels.
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Reviews
"A crash course in how to be an effective CEO. With insights from some of the most successful executives of our time, this is a readable and actionable guide to excellence."
"A great resource for leaders. Offers tools, insights, and perspectives to help set a clear vision, filter out noise, and support teams so they can execute with speed and focus."
"Imparts the advice and insights that are most relevant and important to a CEO at all stages of a leader's tenure. This book gets to the heart of the challenges and opportunities every CEO faces."
"Essential and practical reading for every stage of the journey, guiding leaders to remain steadfast in their mission and deeply attuned to the needs of customers and employees."
"Lifesaving advice for making tough decisions every step of the way-from securing the role to gracefully exiting. I wish I had the benefit of this remarkable treatise when I was leading Sony."
"CEOs sit in the middle of many contradictions, and this book delivers a gold mine of insights and tips for when such contradictions arise."
"Actionable and practical advice...A critical read for future business leaders."
"Will make you better at taking risks, making decisions, adapting to new situations, and always moving forward. It's a masterclass in how to lead at every stage of the journey."
"A CEO for All Seasons is your personal coach, trainer, and playbook to help you thrive."